SUSTAINABILITY
Life was put to the ultimate test a quarter-billion years ago as extinction events ravaged Earth's biosphere, leaving a mere handful of species to claw their way back to survival. This 'Great Dying' appears to have been driven by a complex series of incidents, with a new study finding prolonged, intense climate fluctuations not unlike modern El Niños almost undoubtedly made a bad situation a lot worse. DETAIL
A new partnership between BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), Microsoft, and MGX aims to revolutionize AI infrastructure with a potential $100 billion investment. The Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership (GAIIP) focuses on building and expanding data centers and energy infrastructure to meet the demand for AI capabilities. DETAIL
During the past 500 million years – the time when animals and land plants evolved – the average surface temperature of the planet varied more widely and got even hotter than previously thought. The mean global surface temperature was 24°C (75°F) over this time and sometimes reached 36°C (97°F), compared with around 14°C or 15°C (57-59°F) at present. The lowest it got was around 11°C (52°F) according to the most rigorous study so far. “Our research suggests that temperatures during greenhouse intervals [when CO2 levels are high] can get warmer than is indicated by previous [studies],” says Emily Judd of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. DETAIL
The World Bank says it delivered a record $42.6bn in climate finance during the 2024 fiscal year, marking a 10% increase on the $38.6bn it distributed the prior year, Reuters reports. DETAIL
COP29 aims to boost battery storage and grids for renewables, as pledges proliferate. DETAIL
HEALTH
Migraines and headaches affect billions of people worldwide, and a new study suggests the drug ubrogepant can put a stop to the pain even before a migraine has fully kicked in. DETAIL
A meta-analysis of 137 clinical trials finds triptan drugs are among the most effective for treating migraines, while newer ditan and gepant drugs were rated less highly. DETAIL
Elon Musk's brain-chip startup Neuralink said on Tuesday its experimental implant aimed at restoring vision received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "breakthrough device" designation. The FDA's breakthrough tag is given to certain medical devices that provide treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening conditions. It is aimed at speeding up development and review of devices currently under development. DETAIL
Apple has received FDA approval for its sleep apnea detection feature in the Apple Watch. This feature aims to help users monitor their sleep and detect breathing disturbances, providing a medical-grade tool to manage sleep apnea. DETAIL
DIGITAL / TECHNOLOGY / SCIENCE / ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Lyten, a California-based battery tech company, has been chosen by NASA and the Department of Defense (DoD) to send its lithium-sulfur battery technology to the International Space Station (ISS) on a 2025 mission. The energy dense, lightweight cells could extend the time astronauts can spend on space walks from four to eight hours. They could also keep low orbit satellites in orbit for longer, such as the ones Starlink relies on. DETAIL
Trained rats could help counter the multi-billion-dollar illegal wildlife trade by deploying their heightened sense of smell to catch trafficked animal products. The nonprofit organisation APOPO already uses southern giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei) to sniff for landmines in post-conflict zones and to detect tuberculosis. In a new study, Isabelle Szott and Kate Webb at APOPO and their colleagues tested the ability of the pouched rats to detect four commonly trafficked items from endangered species: rhino horn, elephant ivory, pangolin scales and African blackwood. The goal was to test the accuracy of scent detection before eventually deploying the rodents at international ports. DETAIL
Morse Micro has officially set a brand-new Wi-Fi HaLow record — 16 kilometers ( around 10 miles) for video call connectivity through 900MHz Wi-Fi HaLow, specifically. That record-setting field test took place in San Francisco’s Ocean Beach neighborhood, showcasing how sub-GHz Wi-Fi HaLow signals can wirelessly reach long distances (especially in challenging, real-world conditions). DETAIL
The doors of a new era have opened in rent fixing cases. A landlord in Istanbul filed a rent fixing case against his tenant because the amount paid was low. The current value was determined by expert examination. However, when the parties objected to the figure, the following decision was made at the hearing: “A new report should be prepared, also using artificial intelligence.” Lawyers state that this new situation could set an example for all disputes. DETAIL
A set of knee exoskeletons, built with commercially available knee braces and drone motors at the University of Michigan, has been shown to help counteract fatigue in lifting and carrying tasks. DETAIL
Researchers have stored the entire human genome on a 5D memory crystal, a data storage breakthrough that can last billions of years. A team at the University of Southampton envisions the crystal serving as a blueprint to revive humanity from extinction, even billions of years into the future if science permits. DETAIL
ENERGY / TRANSPORTATION
A nuclear battery that runs on radioactive decay instead of chemical reactions could last for decades. The most efficient design yet could bring the concept closer to reality. DETAIL
Westinghouse is entering the testing phase for its revolutionary nuclear microreactor eVinci, which can operate without water for extended periods of time. Testing is set to begin in 2026. DETAIL
CYBERSECURITY
Soldiers have envisioned a future where wars would be fought not just with soldiers and tanks but with invisible weapons: cyber systems embedded in everyday devices. What once seemed speculative has become a chilling reality in Lebanon, where a series of explosions involving Hezbollah’s communication devices are suspected to have been triggered by a sophisticated cyber attack. DETAIL
It has been confirmed that hackers have seized the identity information of Turkish citizens. It has been claimed that the hackers have collected the data they have seized in five different Google Drive files named 'Renewed TC', 'Address', 'GSM', '101m' and 'GSM' (a second file). The stolen data includes 108 million 571 thousand 832 people's Turkish identity numbers, 82 million 322 thousand 190 people's residential addresses and 134 million 817 thousand 279 mobile phone numbers. DETAIL
An international law enforcement operation has dismantled an encrypted communication platform, known as Ghost, notorious for enabling large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering, Europol said on Wednesday. The investigation led to the arrest of 51 suspects from multiple countries, with more arrests expected. DETAIL
Instagram on Tuesday announced its most dramatic effort yet to protect young users from dangers on its platform, implementing new “teen account” settings that will automatically make millions of teen accounts private and restrict what kinds of content those users can view on the app. DETAIL
HUMANITY / CURIOSITY
YouTube has announced its Communities feature. The content in question provides a place for creators to share their own content outside of their videos and participate in discussions. The company is also preparing to offer content creators a new feature that will make their channels easier to navigate and will allow them to organize their content into sections. DETAIL DETAIL
Amazon has announced that it will end its hybrid work policy and require staff to return to the office five days a week starting in January. DETAIL
Children in Sweden are to start school at six years old from 2028, a year earlier than at present, in an overhaul of the country’s education system that signals a switch from play-based teaching for younger children. DETAIL